It appears that Nick Saban doesn’t mind offering a sanctuary to fired NFL head coaches. After recently hiring former Bill O’Brien as his new offensive coordinator, Saban is now reportedly bringing ex-Jacksonville Jaguars HC Doug Marrone on board as well.
According to AL.com’s Matt Zenitz, Marrone agreed to take over the offensive line coach position with Crimson Tide. He will replace Kyle Flood, who previously took the offensive coordinator job with the University of Texas.
While seeing Marrone at Alabama might be surprising to some, Zenitz points out that the position will enable him to work with some familiar faces. This includes O’Brien, as the duo previously spent four years together at Georgia Tech.
Doug Marrone was dismissed by the Jags after he finished the 2020 NFL season with a 1-15 record. He spent a total of four seasons in Jacksonville as a head coach, compiling a 23-43 record and leading the franchise to AFC Championship Game in 2017.
Marrone worked for a long time as a college coach, serving in various roles with Northeastern, Georgia, and Tennessee, among other programs. This included a head coaching position at Syracuse, where he lead Orange to a 25–25 record, and two Pinstripe Bowl wins between 2009 and 2012.
